Roads and sustainability

Jorge Ortiz Ripoll
Ingeniero de Caminos, Canales y Puertos
(Sorigué, SA)

Cerro July Churches
Ingeniero de Caminos, Canales y Puertos
(Collosa)

Cristina Moncunill Farré
Degree in Environmental Sciences
(Sorigué, SA)

ABSTRACT
The sustainability of road construction projects is a matter that can not be solved with the use of partial assessments or exclusively related to its harmonic integration into the next natural environment. The most serious environmental impacts are not necessarily the most obvious, immediate or close to the actions or activities involved.

Reflecting on what should be the main objectives of a road engineering that aspires to be considered sustainable is the main subject of this article. The methodology called life-cycle assessment to quantify scope, offer more objective criteria and do without intuitions that are not always enough to hit with more environmentally appropriate strategies.

Keywords
Sustainability, Environmental impacts, Emissions, Life cycle